Latch



ff NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LYNCH EADES, OF BLUE RIDGE, MISSOURI.

LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,645, dated January 31, 1893.

Application filed J une 30, 1892. Serial No.438,600. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES LYNCH EADEs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Blue Ridge, in the county of Harrison and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Door-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in door fasteners, and consists of the construction and operation t0- gether with the arrangement and combination of the several parts thereof, as will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of this invention is to provide an automatic door fastener which has a gravitating arm adapted to engage a suitably formed catch or keeper When the door is closed, the parts thereof being simple and effective in their construction and operation, strong and durable, and readily understood.

In the drawingsz-Figure l is a perspective View of the improved fastening shown in locked position and looking toward the inner sides of doors to which the same is applied. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the doors thrown open and the parts of the catch disconnected, and looking toward the front of the doors. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the parts of the fastening detached.

Similar numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates double doors to one of which at the top portion thereof is pivotally connected a gravitating or automatically operating hook 2 consisting of an upper bent end 3 having a cam edge 4 terminating in a depending overhanging end 5, and a lower weighted end 6. The normal position of the said hook is in a vertical plane owing to the weighted depending end 6, and when the same is turned from one side to the other, it naturally assumes the central position thereof as shown in Fig. 2. To the inner upper portion of the frame or casing 7, hingedly supporting the doors l, is a catch or keeper S, having a lower angularly bent arm 9, with a beveled cam face or edge l0, arranged in the front portion thereof or to that side adjacent to the doorspthe rear edge of the said catch or keeper being straight as at 11.

In operation when the door carrying the gravitating latch 2 is closed, the cam edge 4 of the upper bent ends 3 thereof strikes against the cam edge 10 of the catch 0r keeper 8, and is gradually turned to one side until the depending overhanging end 5 passes the end 0f the angularly bent arm 9, when the said hook 2 will be free to fall or assume its normal position and engage the straight edge 11, of the said catch or keeper and thereby lock the door carrying the same in connection therewith. The opposite door lis adapted to be closed by a button 12 or by other suitable device.

By means of the construction set forth, a cheap, strong and durable latch is provided without the employment of springs or other devices which are liable to become dis-arranged or get out of order.

One principal advantage of this device is the time saved in the use of the same, and when it is desired to release the latch, the hand may be slipped inward behind the door to engage the Weighted end 6 of the hook 2 to thereby disengage the same from connection with the catch ory keeper 8.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a gravitating hook consisting of an upper bent end having a cam-edge terminating in a depending overhanging end,

posed and having a lower angularly-bent armV with a beveled cam face or edge arranged on the front portion thereof, and a rear straight edge, the cam edges of the gravitating hook and the fixed catch automatically coacting to bring the depending overhanging end of the hook in engagement with the rear straight edge of the catch or keeper, the said hook being secured to a door and in a normal. vertical position, and the catch or keeper to the upper part of the frame of the door, substanstially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES LYNCH EADES.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. MYERS, I GEO. L. OWENS. 

